Variable-eccentric mechanism.



C. C. RICH.

VARIABLE ECCENTRIC MECHANISM.

Patented July 18, 1916.

APPLICATION FlLElj JUNE 12. 1911- UNITED srnrns; PATENT omen.

CHARLES CLAYTON RICH, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HYDRO- KINETIC TRANSMISSION 00., OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

VARIABLE-,ECCENTRIC MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7

Patented July 18, 1916.

Application filed .Tune 12, 1911. Serial N0. 632,699.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, OHARLEs' CLAYTON RICH, citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Vernon, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improve-- invention has to do with a variable eccentric and means for changing the throw or action of said eccentric, the inventlon being intended primarily for use in connection with automobiles, motor trucks, or other vehicles, or motor boats and other marine vessels. of the type that employ what isknown as hydraulic transmission mechanism, doing away with the use of gears and similar machine elements to transmit the motion from the drive to the driven shaft or axle, and employing in lieu thereof, either as a unit. or asseparate elements, a pump or pumps and a' hydraulic motor'or motors driven thereby.

In work'of the type 311st above outlined,

it has been proposed to provide by-passes in the pumps which may be opened, whenever,

it is desired to bring the vehicle to af'standstill, or to permit it to remain motio'nless, or to coast, while permitting the internal combustion engine or other primemover to continue to run, but such method or mechanism has its manifest disadvantages in that the motive fluid is continuously circulated through the pumps and unnecessary work is thereby imposed upon the prime mover as well as the pump elements, while at the same "time slippage or leakage of the mot ve I fluid is induced or renderedliable. It has also been proposed, although not-in motor vehicle or similar work to my knowledge, to accomplish the end desired, that is, to permit the engine shaft to continuously-rotate without imparting motion to the parts directly driven thereby, by providing a vari- I able throw crank or eccentric and longitudinally-movable means for moving said eccentric to more or less eccentric or concentric positions relative to the driving shaft, so I that when the eccentric is in true concentric relation to the shaft no motion will be imparted to the pitmen operatively connected to the eccentric, and it is with this last type 3f lmechanlsm that my present invention ea s.

. T he invention has for its primary object, a variable throw crank or eccentric mechanism rigid constant bearings are provided for-the eccentric shifting elements of "the mechanlsm.

The invention also has for one of its main ob ects to provide bearings for the eccentric shifting element that are approximately in direct line with the portion of --the shaft which transmits the thrust to the pitmen,

the shaft being thereby protected against llability 'to become sprung and the roller or other anti-friction bearings that are preferably interposed between the bearing rings and eccentric case and between the 'eccentric and its strap, reducing friction to a minimum and thereby increasing the effi-.

ciency of the transmission mechanism as this character more commercially desirable. with these and other-objects in view as will more fully appear as the description 'proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions, arrangements and coinbina tlons of the parts that I' shall hereinafter fully describe and'claim'. v For a full understanding of the invention reference to be had tothe followingdescriptiom'and' accompanying drawing in which: t Figure 1 is asectional view, partlyineleva tion, of my improvements Fig. 2 illustrates in perspective the eccentric shifting mechanism,

'well as the longevity thereof. And the in- 'vention also has for its object to simplify and otherwise generally improve this type of mechanism and to render apparatus of be any number,

the eccentric or driving element, and one of the bearing rings, two of which are employed; and Fig. 3 is a view in the nature of a diagram, taken at right angle to Fig. 1 and indicating the parts as they would appear were a section to be taken through the plane of the eccentric or driving element of the apparatus.

Corresponding and like parts are referred toin the following description and indicated in allthe views of the accompanying drawing bythe same reference characters.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a drive shaft, such an internal combustion engine, and 2 designates pump cylinders of which there may say five, around the shaft 1, each of said cylinders containinga reciprocating piston 3, of any desired construction. or design, said pistons being connected respectively to pitmen 4 that are operatively connected to the eccentric or driving element 5. lhe element 5 is in the present instance connected to the pitmen 4 by an eccentric strap 6, as best indicated in Fig. 1, Z (roller bearings in the present instance) are interposed between the strap and the eccentric or driving element 5, as indicated formed with oppositely clined edges 10 I the shoulders 14 that are produced between the-recesses bearing surfaces being thereby evenly dis- "eccentric case,

-15 "that. are carried by or formed with the bonnet s or 360 [with an eccentrically openin tric case, movement of the shifting element 9, said. bonnets-being secured. to the main or body in Figs. '1 and 3. The eccentric 5 is formed disposed cruciform Sin and through which there works a shifting element 9 in the form of a longitudinally elongated block the body portion of which is substantially rectangular in the present instance, said blocks being disposed longitudinally extending cams 9 formed with im 7 parallel toeachother and preferably terminating in oppositely disposed parallel shoulders'll and 12 respectively. The .cams 9 of the eccentric shifting element of the oppositel opening 8, whi e the side faces of the element 9 move continuously in engagement with the opposite side walls 14 of the opening 8, and the shoulders 9" that are formed by the extensions of the cams along the median line of the movement of the body portion of the element or block bear upon 13 and the side walls 14, the

tributed.

Where the shaft 1 enters and leaves the it is ,journaled in bearings other extensions 16 that are of included with the crank or eccennecessity in order to provide space for the portion of the case by bolts 17 or similar fasten-ing devices. Itis evident that as the shaft of disposed radially and anti-friction bearings.

'trated in Fig. 1.

for. engagement by 9 ride upon the inclined wallsdisposed recesses 13 of the remain inoperative.

ineneeo tent of shaft between the bearings 15 is a relatively long one and that without means to prevent it, the end thrust, transversely of the shaft, midway of these bearings, imposed on the shaft by the working of the eccentric or driving element 5 transmitted to the pitmen 4 and thence to the pistons, would have a tendency to spring the shaft. To positively prevent this and to relieve and withstand such end thrust as well as to provide bearings for the eccentric 5 as against any displacement thereof longitudinally of the shaft 1, I have provided bearing rings 18 disposed against the opposite side faces of the eccentric 5, each of said bearing rings being formed with a concentrically positioned cruciform opening 19 through which the shifting element 9 passes.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the main part of the opening 19 conforms in shape and area to the main body portion of the element 9, and preferably, although I do not regard this as essential, each opening 19 is formed with one beveled wall 20 and an opposite wall 21 parallel with the shaft 1, designed to be engaged by one of the shoulders 11 and a portion of one of the cam edges 10 when the eccentric shifting element 9 is at either limit of its longitudinal movement, this being clearly illus- It is of course to beunderstood that the element 9- is splined on the drivin shaft 1 and that it may be moved longitu inally of saidfshaft' by any desired means. In the present embodiment of the mechanism a shifting sleeve 22 is secured to the element or block 9, said sleeve passing out through the adjoining bearing 15 andbeing provided with a grooved collar 23 designed a-yoke 24 formed on a shipper lever or slmilar part.

From the foregoing description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, the operation of my improved variable throw eccentric mechanism will be apparent. In the position of the parts illustrated in Fig. 1, it will be noted that the distance from the center of the shaft 1 to all points of the rim or periphery of the eccentric 5 is the same, whereby the rotation of the driving shaft will impart no reciprocating or tory movement whatever to the eccentric, and consequently no movement will be transmitted to the pitmen 4 and through themto the pistons 3 of the pump cylinders 2. Consequently, the shaft 1 may be permitted to continuously rotate, but the pumips will Any movement of the eccentric shifting e1ement9 longitudinally of the shaft 1 tothe left fromthe position viewed inFig. Lw ill, as is manifest, move the eccentric 5 ma plane at right angles to the axis of the shaft 1, whereby said-eccen tric or driving element 5 maybe caused to assume a more or less eccentric relation to the shaft and consequently impart a greater of which they are capable. At the greatest throw of the eccentric, the element 9 will have been moved over to the left until the lowermost shoulder 11 moves into contact with the lowermost recess (21) of the right hand bearing ring 18, the lower recess (20) of the left hand ring 18 being at the same time engaged by an adjoining portion of the lowermost cam edge 10.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a very simple, durable and eflicient con.- struction of mechanism for imparting a variable throw to'an eccentric and that .the construction and arrangement of the parts, particularly the bearing rings 18 that are approximately in line with the walls of the castings, forgings, or similar supporting structure for the cylinders, not only rigidly support the driving ,shaft 1 for its rotary movement at a point where the greatest strain is imposed upon the shaft, but also hold the eccentric 5 properly in position as against displacement along the axial line of the shaft. Furthermore the construction and arrangement of such rings and the eccentric and eccentric-shifting element provides for an even and well distributed bearing surface, which, particularly in connection with the anti-friction bearings, reduces friction to a minimum andprotects the parts from end thrust to which they are naturally subjected in use.

While the present embodiment of the invention is described as being particularly designed forvllse in connection with hydraulic transmission mechanism for automobiles or the like, it is .to be clearly understood that the invention is not limited thereto and that various changes may be made in construction,'arrangement and proportions of the parts herein shown and described without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: g 1. In mechanism of the type described, the combination of a casing, a drive shaft journaled in the "ends of the casing, an eccentric surrounding said shaft and formed with an opening inclosing said shaft, an eccentric-shifting element mounted for longitudinal movement on said shaft but turning therewith and disposed within the opening of the eccentric and engaging the walls thereof whereby to shift the eccentric at right angles to the axis of the shaft, means for moving said element longitudinally, and independent bearing elements disposed at each side of said eccentric and having peripheral rolling engagement with the casing, the casing having portions engaglng the outer side faces of said elements -to prevent movement of the same and the eccentric longitudinally of the shaft.

In mechanism of the'type described, a drive shaft, an eccentric case provided with extensions in line with the shaft and in which the shaft is journaled, the extensions being provided with end bearings for this purpose, an eccentric surrounding said shaft, an eccentric shifting element movable 1ongitudinally on the shaft within the case extensions but compelled to turn with the shaft, said element passing through the eccentric, bearing rings mounted in the case approxi-' mately in line therewith and through which the eccentric shifting element also passes and has bearing, and anti-friction bearings interposed between -the case and said rings.

3. In mechanism of the type described, a drive shaft, an eccentric case provided with extensions in line with the shaft and in which the shaft is journaled, the extensions being provided with end bearings for this purpose, an eccentric surrounding said shaft,

an eccentric shifting element movable longitudinally on the shaft within the case extensions but compelled to turn with the shaft, said element passing through the eccentric, bearing rings mounted in the case approximately in line therewith and through which the eccentric shifting element also passes and has bearing, anti-friction bearings interposed between said case and the rings, and other bearings surrounding said eccentric.

4. In mechanism of the typedescribed, a drive shaft, an eccentric having a cruciform opening surrounding the shaft, an eccentric shifting block splined on said shaft,

5. In mechanism of the type described, a

drive shaft, an eccentric mounted upon the said drive shaft but shiftable in a plane at right angles thereto, an eccentric shifting element longitudinally movable on said shaft 7 but turning therewith whereby to shift the eccentric at right angles to the shaft, bearing rings disposed around the eccentric shifting element and at each side of the eccentric, and an inclosing case having a body portion surrounding the rings and the lateral side walls of said body portion bearing against the rings, said case also including angles thereto, an eccentric shifting element surrounding the shaft and movable through theeccentric whereby to shift the eccentric at right angles to the shaft when the shifting element is moved longitudinally of the a shaft, the eccentric being formed with a cruciform opening and the eccentric shifting element being cruciform in cross section, a casing having hearings at its ends for the shaft and having a relatively large middle portion inclosing the eccentrlc, and bearing,

rings disposed one at each side of the eccentric and larger in diameter than the eccentrio and bearing against the side Walls of the enlarged portion of the casing, each bearing ring having a cruciform opening through which the cruciform eccentric shifting element passes.

7. Inmechanism of the type described,.a drive shaft, an eccentric case having an enlarged middle portion and reduced extensions in line with the shaft and in Whichthe shaft is journaled, an eccentric loosely surrounding the shaft, an eccentric shifting elem'ent movable longitudinally on the shaft but turning therewith, said element passing through the eccentric and bearing rings mounted in the middle portion of the case and bearing against the side Walls thereof, said rings having a greater diameter than the eccentric, said rings having each a cenmenace tral opening large enough to permit, the free passage of the eccentric shifting element.

8. In mechanism of the type described, a drive shaft, an eccentric mounted upon the drive shaft but shiftable in a plane at rifiit angles thereto, an eccentric element longitudinally movable on said shaft an turning therewith, said shifting having opposed parallel cam faces to the axis of the shaft and terminating at each end in flat portions extending parallel to the shaft, independent hearing disposed around the eccentric shifhng element and on each side of the eccenh'ic, each of said bearing rings having a slotthrough which the shifting element passes, one end Wall of said slot being inclined coincidentally with the inclination of the cam faces, the other end Wall being parallel to said shaft, a casing surrounding the peripheries of the bearing rings and with which the bearing rings have peripheral rolling engagement, and means for shifting the emantric shifting element from a pcsition where a the flat end face of one cam hear against the fiat end face of one of the hearing rings to a position where the opposite fiat face of the opposite cam wilihear against the flat end face of the other hearing ring.

In testimony whereof, I afix my in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES char-ran area. n a

Witnesses:

W. N. Woonson, FREDERICK S. Slim. 

